English · KJV
H6476

פָּצַח

pâtsach /paw-tsakh'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto break out (in joyful sound)
KJV usagebreak (forth, forth into joy), make a loud noise.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pâtsach — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word pâtsach, represented by H6476, is a primitive root meaning to break out, typically in a joyful sound. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition encompasses actions like breaking forth into joy or making a loud noise, indicating a sudden and forceful expression.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H6476 is overwhelmingly used to describe a spontaneous eruption of joy and singing in response to God's redemptive acts. In a powerful display of personification, creation itself is commanded to participate in this praise, with mountains, hills, and forests set to break forth into singing because the LORD has comforted and redeemed His people (Isaiah 44:23, Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 55:12). This theme of restoration is also seen when the barren and the desolate places of Jerusalem are told to break forth into joy (Isaiah 54:1, Isaiah 52:9). However, a starkly different usage appears in Micah, where the word describes the violent act of rulers who break the bones of the people, illustrating a breaking of a destructive, rather than celebratory, nature Micah 3:3.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the context in which H6476 is used, often highlighting themes of joy, praise, and God's comfort:

  • H7440 rinnâh (singing): This word for a shout of joy or grief is frequently paired with H6476, defining the nature of the "breaking forth" as an act of singing Isaiah 55:12.
  • H7442 rânan (rejoice, sing): Often appearing alongside H6476, this term commands a joyful shout or song, as seen in the call for all the earth to rejoice and sing praise Psalms 98:4.
  • H5162 nâcham (comfort): The act of breaking forth into joy is often a direct result of God's compassion. This is stated explicitly when the mountains are to break forth because the LORD has comforted his people Isaiah 49:13.
  • H2022 har (mountain): Mountains and hills are frequently depicted as the subjects that will break forth into singing, personifying all of creation celebrating God's deliverance Isaiah 44:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H6476 is demonstrated through its connection to divine action and human response.

  • Creation's Response to Redemption: The word is used to illustrate that God's redemptive work is so profound that even inanimate nature, like mountains and trees, is depicted as breaking forth into song in celebration Isaiah 55:12.
  • The Joy of Salvation: The command to "break forth into joy" is not a baseless emotion but a direct consequence of God's deliverance. This is evident when the barren sings Isaiah 54:1 and the waste places of Jerusalem rejoice because the LORD has redeemed them Isaiah 52:9.
  • A Metaphor for Judgment: The term's use in a violent context shows its versatility. In Micah 3:3, the "breaking" of bones by corrupt leaders serves as a powerful metaphor for their cruel oppression, highlighting the severity of sin and pending judgment.

Summary

In summary, H6476 is a dynamic word that captures the idea of a sudden, powerful outburst. While it is predominantly used to express an eruption of immense joy and praise in response to God's comfort and salvation, its use in one passage to describe violent destruction reveals a deeper meaning. Whether signifying the joy of a redeemed people and a singing creation or the brutal force of oppression, pâtsach denotes a breaking point that cannot be contained.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • פִּצְחוּ
  • פִּצֵּחוּ
  • פִּצְחִי
  • יִפְצְחוּ
  • פָּצְחוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H7440 רִנָּה from רָנַן; properly, a creaking (or shrill sound), i.e. shout (of joy or grief); cry, gladness, joy, proclamation, rejo H7442 רָנַן a primitive root; properly, to creak (or emit a stridulous sound), i.e. to shout (usually for joy); aloud for joy, cry o H5162 נָחַם a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to H2022 הַר a shortened form of הָרָר; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively); hill (country), mount(-ain), [idi

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 8 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (6 verses); never once in the other 36.

1
Psalms
6
Isaiah
1
Micah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.